More than 2,000 runners from across Texas competed in a different kind of race this past weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Instead of racing stock cars on the high-banked 1.5-mile track, these racers tied the strings on their running shoes and competed in a 13.1-mile race around Texas Motor Speedway at its facilities.

The “No Limits” Half Marathon course took the runners past and through many of TMS’ landmarks such as the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Lil’ Texas Motor Speedway, the infield road course, Speedway Club building, Tony Stewart Bridge, Burnout Alley, Pit Stop Park and on the concourse beneath the vast front stretch grandstands of the state’s largest sports venue.

Kolin Styles, who is the reigning Cowtown Marathon champion, captured the overall title for the inaugural “No Limits” Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter at TMS on Saturday morning.

The 26-year-old Weatherford resident dominated the half marathon competition as he ran the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 11 minutes and 32.4 seconds. He ran at a 5:28/mile pace to outdistance half marathon runner-up Ray Martinez, of Mansfield, by 5 minutes, 17.6 seconds.

“I probably do one marathon a year and then a couple of really fast halfs,” said Styles, who won The Cowtown Marathon in February. “I do some halfs just to train, but I was actually really training for this one because I was told it was a really fast course. Granted, I know the competition isn’t as tough as some races, but I know it will in years to come with this only being the first year. But to run 1:11 by myself, it is a pretty quick course.”

Styles crossed the finish line on the actual start/finish line that has been crossed by NASCAR and INDYCAR race winners since 1997.

“Just physically being on that track was the coolest part,” Styles said. “Victory Lane — that was very cool, too. I never did anything like that before so it’s cool to do something new like that. Other than that, getting to go places that you wouldn’t normally get to go during a race, like in here (Victory Lane) and the garage. It’s cool to see all that stuff.”

Styles, along with the other major category winners, all celebrated in Victory Lane after the race. They received a black felt Charlie 1 Horse cowboy hat with their medal and lanyard affixed, and fired the six shooters just like next Sunday’s winner of the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will get to enjoy for his accomplishment.

Kami Banks of Fort Worth was the “No Limits” Half Marathon overall female champion. The 36-year-old Banks covered the course in 1:33:13.9 to claim the women’s title and also finish 10th overall. Kelly Brown, of Fort Worth, was runner-up with a time of 1:34.59.

Gary Anderson, a 51-year-old from Fort Worth, was the “No Limits” Half Marathon Male Masters champion with a time of 1:23.42.5, which also placed him third overall. Lesley Burke, a 46-year-old from Mansfield, claimed the Female Masters title with a time of 1:38.45.2.

In the 5K competition, Clinton Blacksmith, a 21-year-old from Denton, was the Male Open champion at 18:29.3 while Cortney Savage, a 32-year-old from Argyle, was the Female Open champ at 24:47.7. The Youth 17-and-under champions were 16-year-old Sam Frosch (19:56.9), of Aledo, and 12-year-old Rebecca Warden (21:51.7), of Ardmore, Okla. The Masters champions were Chris Lipscomb, a 54-year-old from Walters, Okla., at 19:28.9 and Laura Russo, a 55-year-old from Flower Mound, at 23:50.0.

The event at TMS was produced by The Cowtown Marathon organizers in a partnership with Texas Motor Speedway. The event attracted runners from 13 states, including as far as California, Florida, Illinois and Ohio.

In addition, the runners were also treated to a visit by two-time Olympic silver medalist Darvis Patton and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, who both served as Grand Marshals for the event.

Rutherford waved the green flag to the field and Patton waved the checkered as well as presented the champion’s medals in Victory Lane. The races served as the “Go Green” kickoff event for next weekend’s AAA Texas 500 NASCAR triple-header race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

“The sense I get is that they all liked it because it’s different than running through a city course,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “You get to run at a big venue and like everything, we try to make a big deal out of it with Doc (Patton) here and Johnny Rutherford and starting it off in a big way and of course Victory Lane with the winners with the six shooters and the whole deal. That’s how you ought to do it. This is a big deal to them just like the races next week are a big deal to the NASCAR guys.”

Patton, who is a Dallas native, brought his silver medal from this summer’s Olympic Games to the event to show off and he said that he was impressed with the venue and the uniqueness of the race.

“Texas Motor Speedway is a monument not only in the Metroplex, but the U.S. It’s right up there with Cowboys Stadium and the Rangers stadium,” Patton said. “To get an opportunity to see the venue from I-35 is cool enough, but to be able to get inside and run on the track that the cars race on — it’s a special moment. I asked several runners and everyone is already looking forward to coming back next year because they said it was a great course. It’s open – usually they are kind of crowded — so they loved it and want to come back next year and I’m hoping to come back too.”

More than 2,000 runners participated in the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

The Chevrolet No Limits Camaro pace car paces the field in the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

The TMS Chevrolet Camaro pace car leads the runners out of the infield at the start of the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

A lone runner runs on part of the course outside the speedway at the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Runners complete part of the course outside The Speedway Club at the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Competitors run on the concourse beneath the front stretch grandstands during the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Competitors run through the North Tunnel while others run above on the course layout during the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Reigning Cowtown Marathon champion Kolin Styles runs through the LiftMaster garage during the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Styles went on to win the overall title. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Reigning Cowtown Marathon champion Kolin Styles follows the Official Pace Car as the race leader of the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Styles went on to win the overall title with a time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 32.4 seconds. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Runners near the finish line on the front stretch during the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Runners near the finish line on the front stretch during the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas while friends and family cheer on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Overall champion Kolin Styles gets the checkered flag from two-time Olympic silver medalist Darvis Patton and breaks the tape held by three-time Indy 500 champ Johnny Rutherford at the finish line of the No Limits Half Marathon Benefitting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas on October 27, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Patton and Rutherford served as Grand Marshals for the event. (Photo by Josh Rasmussen/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)